Spokane almost didn't Rock my Socks: The Story of My Morning

I made my reservation to go to Spokane using a free flight voucher that I earned by giving up my seat on a flight in December. Very exciting, saved like $400. But I never received a confirmation e-mail.
So this morning I call United, assuming they got the e-mail address wrong. It turns out my reservation has been CANCELLED because I was supposed to go to Newark and pick up my ticket within 24 hours of making the reservation, not within 24 hours of my flight like I thought. The service rep says there's nothing she can do. There's 14 day pre-flight purchase requirement on the voucher, and I'm basically screwed unless I want to schedule for the weekend of the 14th or purchase the ticket. Obviously I'm started to cry at this point, push the agent a little bit and finally give up and hang up and cry. Bad. Very Stressful.
I pull myself together, get my game face on, and call back to talk to a higher up who can override the 14 day thing and make all my dreams come true. The next agent I talk to, who I assume can do nothing, as able to rebook me on my original flights, clarifies that I need to go to Newark tomorrow to pick up my ticket, and asks for the name of the person who said there was nothing she could do. Of course I don't remember her name, and she was probably new or something and didn't know what to do. So after a small breakdown and a very stressful start, I am still going to Spokane next Friday to frolick and chat with Anna and Jaime and Caitlin and Heather and the fabulous Whitworth TH/PH department.
The End.